I was steamed after watching Senator Evan Bayh on Rachel's show last night, and grew increasingly agitated throughout the night. Plenty of other people have blogged on this by now, so I won't duplicate their work, except to say that Bayh's argument for allowing Lieberman to keep his Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairmanship is the most cowardly, transparent, incoherent thing I've ever heard and I'm surprised Rachel didn't laugh in his face.

Bayh in brief: Joe says if we punish him he'll leave, and we wouldn't want that. Or if he stays, he might be embittered and then he wouldn't vote with us on some important stuff.

I'm sorry? Did you just say that because Joe Lieberman is petulant, petty and disloyal, that's precisely why he gets to keep his chairmanship?

Watch the video and read Steve Benen's short, prophetic view on why the Dems will regret this.

Bayh has several other Senators on board to protect Lieberman, and this is all getting very depressing. If you want to be really depressed, let Glenn Greenwald remind you that "the [Congressional] Democrats who are going to exert dominant political control are the same ones who have provoked so much scorn -- rightfully so -- over the last several years":

Politicians are not only permitted, but actually encouraged, even required, to scorn the Left. There's even an adoring term for that ("Sister Souljah") which is almost unanimously considered a truly shrewd and honorable thing to do. By stark contrast, merely replacing someone in the position of a deeply influential Chairmanship who has strayed way too far to the Right and turned himself into a leading advocate for the most wretched policies is considered horribly divisive. To do that is a vindictive, partisan purge (on what planet is it improper for a political party to want to empower people who agree, rather than disagree, with its ostensible views?).

This is why I'm going to the country this weekend and staying off the internet for a full 48 hours at least. It's far too early in Obama's pre-Presidency to be so glum. Still, if you have a chance, call your Senators with this handy tool and encourage them to punish Joe somehow. I mean, honestly, if they don't, they're pretty much admitting that they stand for nothing as a party.